Safety device for an oven

ABSTRACT

A safety device for an oven that prevents the oven from tipping over when weight is applied to an oven door. The safety device includes a base member that is connected to a pivoting member by a pivot connection. The pivoting member includes a threaded adjustable member and a tubular receiving member, wherein the adjustable member is telescopically coupled to the receiving member. A locking washer is coupled to the adjustable member for holding the adjustable member in place relative to the receiving member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a safety device. More particularly, the invention relates to a safety device for ovens that prevents the oven from tipping over when weight is applied to the door in the open position.

2. Description of the Related Art

Free-standing ovens have the potential of becoming a hazard in a home, especially to young children who are playing on them in an unintended manner. When weight is applied directly to an open oven door it can create a situation where the center of gravity is shifted enough to cause the standard supports of the oven to give way and thus cause the oven to tip over. The situation can be devastating in the case where a child is the weight, because when the oven tips over it has the potential to fall directly onto the child causing serious injury or even death in some cases.

There have been efforts made in the field to create supports that will hold the oven in an upright position when the center of gravity is shifted due to weight being applied to the oven door. However, there is a need for a simplified after-market safety device that is easily attached to the oven door and works in conjunction with the oven door so the safety device will operate every time the door is opened thus eliminating the potential of the oven tipping over.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a safety device for an oven to prevent the oven from tipping over when weight is applied to the oven door. The safety device includes a base that is connected to a pivoting member by a pivot connection. The pivoting member is constructed from a threaded adjustable member and a tubular receiving member, wherein the adjustable member is telescopically coupled to the receiving member. A locking washer is coupled to the adjustable member for holding the adjustable member in place relative to the receiving member.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when viewed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which set forth certain embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an oven with the present safety device attached thereto.

FIG. 2 is a detailed perspective view of the present safety device.

FIGS. 3 and 4 respectively show a perspective view and a side view of the safety device supporting an open oven door.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The detailed embodiment of the present invention is disclosed herein. It should be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiment is merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, the details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as the basis for the claims and as a basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to make and/or use the invention.

With reference to the various figures, a safety device 10 is disclosed for attachment to an oven door in a manor preventing inadvertently applied weight from causing the oven 40 to tip over. The oven 40 is comprised of an oven housing 39 that includes a standard heating element (not shown) and a pivotally connected oven door 42. The safety device 10 includes a base member 12 which is connected-to a pivoting member 14 by a pivoting pin connection 16. The pivoting design allows the safety device 10 to work in conjunction with the oven door 42. The safety device 10 pivots into an upright position and engages the floor 43 when the oven door 42 is in its fully opened position (see FIGS. 3 and 4).

The pivoting member 14 includes an adjustable member 18 which includes external threading 20 shaped and dimensioned to allow the adjustable member 18 to be screwed into or out of the inner shaft 22 of a tubular receiving member 36 of the pivoting member 14. This allows the height of the safety device 10 to be adjusted so the height of the safety device 10 is approximately the same distance as the outer, or front, surface 41 of the oven door 42 is to the floor 43 when the oven door 42 is fully opened thus making the safety device 10 universal in the ability to properly work for a variety of ovens. The adjustable member 18 further includes a locking nut 24 to hold the adjustable member 18 (that holds the adjustable member 18 relative to the receiving member 36) in place once it has been properly adjusted. The bottom of the adjustable member 18 includes a removable protective cap 26 that engages the floor 43 when the oven door 42 is in the open position. The removable protective cap 26 prevents scratching or marking of the floor 43 by the safety device 10. The cap 26 also prevents slipping of the safety device 10 when it makes contact with the floor 43.

More particularly, and as briefly discussed above, the safety device 10 generally includes a base member 12 pivotally connected to a pivoting member 14. The base member 12 includes a planar attachment plate 28 which is shaped and dimensioned for attachment to the front surface 41 of an oven door 42 along an upper portion thereof. With this in mind, the base member 12 is provided with a series of apertures 30 through which screws 31 or other attachment mechanisms may be passed for securing the safety device 10 to an oven door 42. The base member 12 further includes a pivot flange 32 extending from the base member 12. The flange 32 includes a central aperture 34 shaped and dimensioned for receiving a pivot pin 16 which securely attaches the pivoting member 14 to the base member 12. As a result, the pivoting member 14 is free to pivot relative to the base member 12 in a manner discussed below in greater detail.

With regard to the pivoting member 14, it is an elongated member and includes a tubular receiving member 36 and an adjustable member 18 which are telescopically screwed via mating threaded structure. As briefly discussed above, the tubular receiving member 36 is secured to the base member 12 via a pivot pin 16 which extends through the aperture 34 of the pivot flange 32 of the base member 12 and an aperture 38 on the tubular receiving member 36 of the pivoting member 14. The free end 19 of adjustable member 18 is provided with a removable protective cap 26 shaped and dimensioned for engaging the floor 43, or other support surface, when the oven door 42 is opened and the force of gravity extends the pivoting member 14 to an orientation which is substantially perpendicular to the oven door 42.

In order to accommodate various oven sizes, the pivoting member 14 is adjustable in length. In particular, the pivoting member 14 is composed of the tubular receiving member 36 and adjustable member 18. The adjustable member 18 extends downwardly from the tubular receiving member 36 of the pivoting member 14. The adjustable member 18 is an externally threaded 20 post shaped and dimensioned for insertion within the internally threaded central aperture 37 of the tubular receiving member 36. Adjustment of the tubular receiving member 36 relative to the adjustable member 18 is achieved by providing internal threading 22 along internal aperture 37 at the end of the tubular receiving member 36. The threading 22 is shaped and dimensioned to receive the external threading 20 along the adjustable member 18. As such, rotation of the adjustable member 18 will cause the adjustable member 18 to move in and out of the tubular receiving member 36 in a manner adjusting the effective length of the pivoting member 14.

When it is desired to lock the adjustable member 18 relative to the tubular receiving member 36, one simply rotates a locking nut 24 mounted along the external surface of the adjustable member 18 into engagement with the free end 39 of the tubular receiving member 36. When the locking nut 24 is secured in this manner, the tubular receiving member 36 and the adjustable member 18 are substantially locked relative to each other and the safety device 10 is ready for use.

In practice, one or two safety members 10 are secured along an upper end of an oven door 42 with the pivot pin 16 oriented substantially parallel to the support surface upon which the oven 40 sits such that the pivoting member 14 downwardly in alignment with the door 42 when it is in it closed orientation. As a result, when the oven door 42 is opened, the pivoting members 14 will rotate downwardly with the adjustable member 18 thereof continually pointing toward the floor 43. As the oven door 42 becomes fully opened, the pivoting member 14 will reach an orientation which is substantially perpendicular to both the oven door 42 and the floor 43. At this point, the pivoting member 14 will engage the floor 43 and provide a support between the upper end of the oven door 42 and the floor 43. This arrangement provides substantial support to the oven 40 preventing the oven 40 from tipping over in the even inadvertent weight is applied to the oven door 42 while it is open.

While the preferred embodiments have been shown and described, it will be understood that there is no intent to limit the invention by such disclosure, but rather, is intended to cover all modifications and alternate constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention. 

1-6. (canceled)
 7. An oven, comprising: an oven housing with a pivotally coupled oven door; a safety device connected to the oven door for aiding in prevention of the oven from tipping over when weight is applied to the oven door; the safety device includes a base member coupled to the oven door, the base member is connected to a pivoting member by a pivot connection; the pivoting member includes a threaded adjustable member and a tubular receiving member, wherein the adjustable member is telescopically coupled to the receiving member.
 8. The oven as defined in claim 7, wherein two of the safety devices are connected to the oven door.
 9. The oven as defined in claim 7, wherein the base member includes a series of apertures through which attachment mechanisms may be passed for securing the safety device to an oven door.
 10. The oven as defined in claim 9, wherein the base member includes three apertures.
 11. The oven as defined in claim 10, wherein the attachment mechanisms are screws.
 12. The oven as defined in claim 7, wherein a bottom of the adjustable member includes a removable protective cap that engages a floor when an oven door is in an open position.
 13. The oven as defined in claim 7, wherein the adjustable member includes external threading shaped and dimensioned to allow the adjustable member to be screwed into or out of an inner shaft of the tubular receiving member. 